


An Opportunity for a Fuckup

by Caracalliope



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Attempted Seduction, Eldritchfuck Roseworld, Gen, Miscommunication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-27 02:57:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20400553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caracalliope/pseuds/Caracalliope
Summary: Eldritchfuck Roseworld - Ancestor branch. The Signless gets a bad idea during the night.





	An Opportunity for a Fuckup

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sheliak](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheliak/gifts).

> <33333! Hope you enjoy.

The Signless has always seen opportunity more clearly than his peers. It's a good trait in a revolutionary and an occasionally useful one in a victim. But now, in his role as a grateful rescuee, it feels dangerous. If he extends his fronds and grasps for more than he is given, he won't be the only one to Suffer the consequences.

His little Descendant inherited the taint of optimism as well as of red blood, but he also has the power to back it up with actions. He makes plans openly and constantly and loudly. In the presence of their alien masters, he continues planning, just with a softer cadence. Both masters listen to him, with hungry patience and a readiness to enact his will. It reminds Signless of his own highblooded followers - that embarrassed awareness of their own power, that hope for benediction from the lowest of the low. But maybe he's overestimating them, or underestimating them. Karkat moves and speaks like they may snap and silence him at any moment. Still, he keeps talking.

Signless is too tired and too hurt to do the same. But the spark of hope is like a sting at his heels. So he does the simplest thing he can think of, and slips out of his chambers when he is sure Psii, Mom, and Dis are asleep. He knows where his human masters sleep, but there is no need to go so far.

He finds Karkat sharing a concupiscent platform with the young seadweller. That alone is enough to make Signless realize he is out of his depth here. If he went back now - no.

He goes to his knees and bows his head. He'll be here when Karkat wakes up, and he can only hope it's before the seadweller does. For an adult to humble himself and offer his mouth… he hopes the shock of it won't stop Karkat in his tracks. All the Signless wants from him is a little goodwill and advice, and it might seem like he is offering too much of himself up in return. But he has nothing else left to bargain with, and it seems easier than to sand his edges away and try to become likeable. Sweet as the young trolls are, the Signless has no space left to be cared for by someone new.

But after five or six quiet breaths, he hears a soft, wavy voice.

"Kar, wake up, please. We've got a situation unfoldin'."

Instantly and silently, Karkat opens his eyes, familiar in shade and in shape. "Fuck," he whispers, and the muted rage is familiar too. "What the bulgetwisting everfuck do you think you're doing here? How stupid are you?"

Signless stays silent. His hope has failed him, badly. He's aware of a few other trolls sitting up in their beds, all in eerie silence.

"Kar, you can't go disrespectin' our elders - your actual Ancestor - uh, sir, Karkat didn't mean to -"

"No, Karkat definitely means to," Karkat says. "John told us to talk to him immediately if one of them bothered us while we slept - they have their orders, one of which is to stay away from us in the night, and our orders are to report them if they break that one. So if Witless Vantas here just endangered us all for some halfnooked idea he came up with ten minutes ago, Karkat has the right to know what he is thinking."

"Maybe it's a test," says a human voice with a husky drawl. "Maybe John sent him."

"No," volunteers Signless. This has spiralled out of his control, and the least he can do is to cooperate. "It really is a halfnooked idea I came up with ten minutes ago."

"See," snaps Karkat. "So what were you planning?"

"To offer to suck your bulge," Signless says, "sir."

"Oh, lord," says the human. The little seadweller makes a noise of dismay and hides his face in Karkat's shoulder. The childish show of fear is a gratifying counterpoint to the panic rising in the Signless. How badly had he miscalculated? Is this place like the brooding caverns, where pailing is penalized harshly, whoever initiates it? Is Karkat himself off limits, too precious for his masters to share him?

"Oversized idiot," sighs Karkat. He stands, extending a hand, like a battlefield conciliation. "I'm not the one you need to worry about."

"Will you take him to John?" asks the seadweller.

"What else can I do? We can't keep big secrets from John, and it could still be a test. I'll ask John to have mercy, I'll remind him that he said it was okay if the new trolls made mistakes. And - you can say no if you want, but I could use someone to help me explain how things work on Alternia."

The seadweller nods, shakily. He gets up as well, rummages under the platform. Karkat sighs, helps his naked slumber mate with his search for pants.

"Dirk, if we get any more visitors -"

"I'll stay up, no problem," says the human. "And I'll wake Dave up if John comes around without you."

"Great initiative, I appreciate it," Karkat says with perfect sincerity. "You can also send him looking if we're not back by noon."

The seadweller's nervous whimper is less soothing this time.

Like two miniscule guards, Karkat and the seadweller stand behind him. It's not the first or even second time that the Signless is being marched to his fate, and the looks of pity aren't new either. But he finds that he's too tired to do this again. He doesn't know what's making him keep walking.

"Kar, if John goes after Sol's Ancestor - he's barely coherent, he can't even stop talkin' -"

"He's not going to, I won't let him. It's not like when we were new, it's - mistakes are allowed now."

There's something in his voice that Signless doesn't understand, like an opportunity too big to name. Signless keeps his head down, though, and keeps quiet for a change.


End file.
